Railway flagging-canister



J. STEELE.v RAILWAY FLAGGING CANNISTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5. I918- Pafentod Oct. 7,1919.

2 SHE'ETS-SHEET I- Jesse 5212856 61mm J. STEELE. RAILWAY FLAGGINGICANNISTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5, l9l8.

Patented Oct. 7, l919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WW z fig 14 26 13 Jesse fizfeeieammm il i/izess as THE COLUMBIA PLANOORAPII C0,, WASHINGTON, n. c.

JESSE STEELE, F ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.

RAILWAY FLAGG'ING'r-CANISTERJ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. '7, 1919.

Application filed December 5, 1918. semi n. 265,427.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEssE STEELE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Flagging-Canisters, of which the following is a specification. I 7

'My invention relates to railway flagging canisters .or boxes. r

The object of the invention is to provide a compact receptacle for day signals and other railway appliances used 1n flagging trains and also to be in itself a night signal or marker for the rear ends of-trains.

Further objects and advantages will be more fully described herein and specifically and its vestibuleframe. V I

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary rear vlew of the canister and one of its holders or strapspointed out in the claims recourse being had to the accompanying drawing forming a. part of this specificationinwhich;

Figure 1 is a front view of the canister or box with the cover openaiid depending therefrom. v p

Fig. 2 is a front elevation whenthe cover is closed. a

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 4: is a cross section of the canister taken near the the cover open.

the canister. e g t Fig. 6 is a :plan of one of the flag or fuse holders or clips.

Fig. 7 is aside view of the same. Fig. 8 is an end view of a passenger car engaged with the diagonal members of a folding gate at the rear end of a passenger car.

the box and its cover showing the flange for rendering it water tight. g

Fig-11 is a similar view with the cover detached or'partly open.

F "g. 12 is a side elevation of a part of the canister straps or hangers showing an anti-friction modification. 7

left hand end of Fig.1 with Fig. 10 is a fragmentary cross section of Fig. 13 is a rear elevation of the same and Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan of the canister showing the back or suspension bar.

In the drawings like reference numerals indicate similar parts in all the several views.

1 is the sheet metal box or canister which, for compactness-is usually about two or three inches thick and seven or eight inches Wide and of any convenient length.

2 is the cover hinged to the box at 3.

The canister is provided with a handle 4 for. convenience in transporting the same to and from trains.

The cover is provided with suitable catches 5 and 6, Fig. 1, or they may be placed upon the box at 6 in order to secure the cover in aclosed position.

N ear'one end of the box there is placed a partition or partitions 7 provided with suitably positioned holes 8 for the points 90f the fuses or red fire signals 9, Fig. 1, also holes 11 for the pole 12 of the signal flags 13. r r

10 and 14 are clips or spring holders for the fuses and flags, respectively, for supporting the ends opposite to that of the partition.

The clips are fastened to the bottom of the box by rivets. or solder and are positioned to suit requirements.

The interior ofthe canister can be fitted source of electricity for illuminating the interior lamp, as will be described hereafter.

In like manner, the clips 17, socket 18 and the various shapedboxes or holders 19 may be added to suit the article to be placed and held within the canister such as torpedoes, marker brackets and the like.

20*, Fig. 1, are lamp. wires leading from 20 for a suitable incandescent lamp placed in the box at equal distance from both ends. When the box is closed, the red' glass disk the attachment plug 21 to the lamp socket or lens 22, inserted in a circular opening in the cover 2, comes in line with thelamp or opposite each other, and forms a marker at night when hung on the gate of the rear car.

In the day time, the box being usually painted yellow, acts also as a narke'r.

23 is a circular flange for holding the glass disk 22in place over the circular perforation in the cover 2, as shown. r M V r 4: is a staple or handle for opening the canister by pulling the cover outward.

The cover is also provided with suitable name plates 25 or other railway marks.

Along the length of the back of the canister there is placed a flat bar or rod 26 arranged a small distance from thesurface by means of its bent ends and secured in place by the rivets or screws 27 I Along the bar 26 the brackets or hangers 28 are slidably mounted as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The brackets, at their upper portions, are arranged in steps 29, Fig. 5, in order to adapt the canister to varying thicknesses of the parts to which it is to be attached.

When in position for use the hangers therefore adjust themselves to any point of attachment. p

The lower end of the stepped portion is provided with a hook or arch80 which acts as a snap or spring to secure the hinged memberto be described hereafter.

The upper part of the first step is bent downward at its position nearest the canister to form a. U or bend 31 the opening at the upper part, being riveted to a filler plate 32 leaving a space for the slidable mounting of the bracket or hanger on the bar 26.

Figs. 12 and 13 show a modified form of bracket wherein a flanged roller 33 Sup ported on a pin 34: is used-in place of the filler plate 32, in Fig. 5, in order to diminish friction. y

35 is a vertical back bar attached at its upper end to the U- shaped member 31 its lower end terminating in a hinged joint 35* for the lock bar 36 which engages by. a

spring fit upon the hook arch 30 thereby locking the hanger upon the back bar 26.

The dotted lines 37 in Fig. '3 represent the various positions of the brackets along in which the brackets or hangers 28 are ate tached to the crossed gate members 39.

"Where the ordinary gate is used the hangers are placed on the top rail and adjust themselves to any kind of supporting means. 40 is a lamp cord leading from the receptacle in the car ceiling to the socket 21, Fig.1; of the canister. V I

l1, Figs. 10 and 11, represents a narrow offset flange placed around the front edge of the canisterinto-which fits the edge of the cover 2 to render the canister water tight."

The flange may be both upon the box, as at 4101 upon the cover 2 at l2 in Fig. 10, as desired. r

My-inveiitioircanbe placed upon any passenger coach, Pullman or private car as well as upon express and other cars and in the case of private or observation cars, being on the rear of the tram, it is not necessary to get on the observation end of the platform to secure desired articles to be used in sired within the same.

In this manner the articles needed be procured quickly and always found intheir proper place and not exposed to the weather or to meddlesome persons.

In cases where the train has tostop in a tunnel in the day-ltinie and where there is not space enough between the train and the tunnel to reach and light the usual oil markers my device is very desirable as it,

may be lighted instantaneously and have a red light or marker to protect the train.

1. A railway fla ging canister compris ing a partitioned box havingaseries of holders, receptacles and pockets therein, a lamp in said boxy anppeni'ng' in" the box cover having a colored glass lensjor disk therein adapted to emit light therethrough when the coveris closed, and slidable adjustable means for hanging or positioning said canister or box. V

2. A flagging canister or box having compartments and. securing means within the same, lamp means in the box, a cover having a colored .glass disk or lens adapted to come in line with said lamp for showing a night signal therethrough, a rod or bar at the back portionof's'aid box, an'dbrackets or hangers slidably and adj ustably mounted upon the rod for positioning said canister.

in line therewith for showing alight signal, a bar along the length of the canister and at the back portlon thereof, and slidable flagging canister'orbox having a lamp within the same and a cover therefor havlng a colored glass'dlsk adaptedto come.

stepped locking brackets or hangers adapted or hangers for the canister adapted to posi- 10 to support the box upon a railway car. tion the same to any fixed point on the car.

4. A flagging canister having a lamp In testimony whereof I have hereunto within, a hinged cover adapted to place a affixed my signature in the presence of two lens over the lamp when the cover is closed Witnesses.

to form a red signal for the rear of a train, JESSE STEELE. a bar or red on the back of the canister .Witnesses:

and along the length thereof, and two or H. D.-GIBs0N,

more slidable stepped and locking brackets H. W. MANSON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

